THE COLD IS STILL HERE. But not for much longer. So be ready for outdoor golf season. Because you can tune up inside at the Schaumburg Golf Club, on all three simulators. Chandlers Chophouse is open-so is the pro shop. Call (847)-885-9000.
TTHE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect at LinkedIn and Facebook. Swinging in the Mistwood Golf Dome in Bolingbrook. Mistwoodgolfdome.com (630)-739-7600.
SO AFTER A CRAZY WEEKEND OF HOOPS!
I bring you March Sadness. Because with golf courses on the verge of opening, there was a setback this weekend.
Because I didn’t expect on Saturday morning to wake up to a temperature of 12. But then the wind chill was even worse, below zero at O’Hare Field.
So then the door buzzer rings on Saturday morning, you open the door and a dusting of snow is coming down. I’m just glad it really didn’t stick. Because the almost 5 inches of snow I got just over a week ago, is finally gone.
Sunday morning the temperature was 22 when I got up, not much better. Then the high temperature yesterday, was only 37. So what do you do. Stay inside and watch NCAA hoops and the Valspar Championship.
THERE WAS GOOD NEWS for Arlington Heights PGA Tour player Doug Ghim, he made a cut at Valspar, along with Wheaton’s Kevin Streelman. Both made just over $50,000 for their efforts on the golf course. But the news was not as good for Northbrook’s Nick Hardy who missed another cut, by only 1 shot. Luke Donald the Northwestern alum missed by a lot more. All of our locals have missed two many cuts this year. Here is hoping that changes.
VALSPAR IS SUCH a good tournament to watch, the people there do a wonderful job wrapping up the Florida Swing. The Copperhead course is not a birdie-fest. Sam Burns who was trying for the three-peat in the win column-had a great final round of 5 under 66. Burns however only finished in 6th place.
OUR LEN ZIEHM has a great story coming up in the Daily Herald this week, on how two-time Illinois Open champion David Cook, is the caddie for Valspar runner-up Adam Schenk. Schenk’s 40 foot par saver to earn a spot in the playoff yesterday hit the hole but didn’t fall in the cup.
AS WE MOVE towards golf season, the battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is still simmering. Last Friday there were reports-again-that Greg Norman was on his way out the door at LIV Golf. But by Saturday those phony reports were again proven false.
SO WHO-keeps starting these false rumors about Norman. But better yet-who is dumb enough to keep falling for the bad gossip, and even dumber to keep writing that stuff. What is interesting is how much online social media comments, are giving LIV their props for the coverage. Plus they ask the fans what they would like to see more of during the broadcast.
ANYTHING WOULD BE BETTER than listening to Dan Hicks on NBC keep trying to mention Tiger Woods during every broadcast, even when Woods isn’t playing. Does NBC pay Hicks by the amount of times he says Woods name.
A FEW interesting things got posted online over the weekend. SO IS IT TRUE that during the rain delay at The Players Championship, NBC showed the 2019 Rory McIlroy win. Because the 2022 edition had LIV players finishing 1-2-3. Did LIV golfer Pat Perez with borrowed clubs, really beat Woods by 9 shots at the 1993 USGA Junior. IF SO why don’t we ever see footage of that.
WORD IS that the PGA Tour has 27 corporate partners that do over 40 Billion-that’s Billion dollars a year, of business with Saudi Arabia. Nobody at the tour office seems all to concerned about that.
NEXT ON THE TEE is the Match Play Championship this week in Austin Texas. But enjoy it if you like match play. Because sadly, it’s the final year for the event.
WORD IS THE 2024 Senior LPGA Championship is headed for Sultans Run Golf Couse in Indiana, 35 minutes from the French Lick Resort. I have played Sultans Run and it’s a good golf course, done by Pete Dye disciple Tim Liddy.
UPCOMING THIS WEEK- I will wrap up the stories from the winter golf trip. Which includes the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando Florida. At weeks end I will give out my picks and awards for best products at the show. From the property visit side, our features on both the work done on Pinehurst No.8. Then on the amazing job done at the Bonita Bay Club’s Cypress golf course-by Tom Marzoff from Tom Fazio Golf design.
The Gog Blog returns on Tuesday. RS